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To Shame or to Hide? Print Media Reporting of Sexualised Hazing in Taiwanese and Singaporean Conscript Institutions, 1990s-2000s by Chong Shao Yuan Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Honours Program in History University of British Columbia, Okanagan (2020) Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Stites-Mor, Department of History and Sociology Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Yoon Kyong, Department of English and Cultural Studies Author’s Signature: _______________________ Date: ______________ Supervisors’ Signature: _______________________ Date: ______________ Honours Chair’s Signature: _______________________ Date: ______________ © Chong Shao Yuan 2020 Content Warning Please note that this paper includes content of a sexual and violent nature. Coarse language and profanities may be included. Abstract During the 2010s, sexualised hazing was increasingly discussed in Taiwan and Singapore as investigations were launched regarding conscript deaths resulting from hazing. While this phenomenon was being reported in print media, it was often treated as a contemporary phenomenon with no historical basis. By analysing major English, Simplified, and Traditional Chinese newspapers from Singapore and Taiwan in the 1990s and 2000s, this thesis looks into how sexualised hazing was reported in the media; and when reported, whether the sexual nature of the activities were acknowledged or discussed in the context of conscript institutions. By conducting this analysis, this thesis contributes to existing literature by establishing the historical origins of sexualised hazing. My analysis reveals that in the 1990s, despite evidence of sexualised hazing in civilian society and conscript institutions, Taiwanese and Singaporean newspapers only focused on sexualised hazing taking place in civilian society and not in conscript institutions. However, by the 2000s, the Taiwanese media became more willing to report of such activities, framing them as a source of embarrassment for the military and as an important phenomenon within collective memory for Taiwanese men. In Singapore, while reports of hazing increased, they tended to focus on broader social issues, such as associated acts of illegality and bullying. Local factors such as national security concerns, the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, the rise of the Internet era, and polarising attitudes towards the Lesbian-Gay- Bisexual-Transsexual-Queer (LGBTQ) community in these countries also influenced divergence between the two societies. ii Acknowledgements This acknowledgment was written not in any order of importance. How do you write an acknowledgment section for a thesis project that, despite being intended for a short year, was in fact conceptualised and designed over the course of three, and was only made possible given the help of so many different people? To my family, who gave me the opportunity to complete my undergraduate education here despite it being financially difficult for everyone. For being supportive despite my constant workaholism even when I’m at home on short breaks. I do need to learn to prioritise family time. To Ms Ho Hui Lin, an inspiration to my work as a social historian, for reminding me of my convoluted writings, for giving reality checks since I was a JC student and becoming a friend to wake up my unrealistic ideas even after I graduated. To Dr. Jianlin Chen who was able to give me the opportunity to work in Melbourne using a method that would eventually be one I used for my thesis. For giving me advice on how to shape my thesis topic into something that is a little less sensitive, yet still very important for our society. To Dr. Jessica Hanser, who has not only been exposing me to so many new ideas as a historian but also as a friend, and for trying your best to look through my disastrous writing. For giving me the chance to meet Bianca in our class, whom I need to thank, for being my fellow student Historian who also helped me look at my rather scarring thesis chapter. To my friends, who has been there for me since I started my academic journey which is really only halfway done. To Chin-wen and Erin, whom, despite not being fans of History or a fan of my topic, was so supportive you spent the time to come down to my thesis presentation. Your presence helped so much with my anxiety then, and made schooling so much more bearable. To Michelle, Tommy, Ervin, Ben, Jed, Adam, Ryan, Alan and all my other amazing friends at UBC(O), who were there for me as I worked through this paper to my satisfaction. To Hoky. for the late nights you waited for me to finish my work just because I clearly could not let you rest even up until 5am the day before we moved out. iii To my friends from home, Ian Kiat, Brandon, Sheryl, Ines, Xinzhuo, Yong Ming, Tiffany, Caeryn, Yanqi, Justin, and so many more, who heard me talk about my research interests in absolute horror, and attempted to continue remaining interested in order to feed my enthusiasm. My stories in Canada don’t always make sense. I am grateful you heard me through. To the History and Sociology department, who has been ever patient with my overzealous requests, beyond what is the norm for an undergraduate in university. To Dr. Higgs and Dr. Le Normand, who have given me so many opportunities which otherwise would not have been possible as a student, for believing in me. To Dr. Bonar Buffam who has been dealing with me swinging by your office and asking for the most random advice since first year. To Sajni, who has been ever so supportive ever since first year, not just as a librarian in helping me obtain obscure resources that would have been otherwise impossible to obtain, but also as a friend and a mentor at work. To Donna, who came to support me (and has been so supportive to me) at my presentation despite only having known me shortly then. To Bruce, who helped me scour through the Taiwanese library archives at your own free will despite my key terms being so odd and despite it being holidays for you. To Dr. Jessica Stites Mor, who has held your faith in me since my freshman year, and really, slowly became a friend as much as a mentor-supervisor figure for me through this Honours journey. To Dr. Yoon Kyong, who has never met me until this project, and gave precious advice despite this project being slightly different from the field you work on. I’ve been fortunate to have you both guide me through this project. To Kevin, who travelled across the oceans with me to Taiwan and Singapore, and letting me indulge in my thesis despite it being our holiday as much as it was a work trip. I hope this trip has been a positive one for you all the same. To all the academics and individuals whom I’ve spoken to during the exploratory stages of this research, whom I can’t list in this acknowledgement page because it is running out of space. To everyone else whom I might have missed because of the same logistical reasons. This thesis would not have materialised without each and every one of you. iv Table of Content Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Why the 1990s and 2000s? ................................................................................................. 4 Similarities between Singapore and Taiwan in the 1990s and 2000s ................................. 7 Methods & Procedures ........................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 1 Historiography .......................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2 Taiwan: From A Bullying Issue, to a Source of Entertainment and Gossip ....... 22 Taiwan’s History: A Brief Background ............................................................................ 23 Taiwanese Military as a Sexualised Environment ............................................................ 25 Sexualised Hazing – from Campus to the Military Environment ..................................... 26 Reporting of Sexualised Hazing – in the Taiwanese Society and in the Military ............ 30 Chapter 3 Singapore: From Singular, Legal Concerns to a Bullying Culture Broadly ....... 36 Singapore's History: A Brief Background ........................................................................ 37 Sexualised Hazing: When did it start? .............................................................................. 40 Sexualised Hazing in the 1990s and 2000s: How did it develop? .................................... 41 National Service in the 1990s-2000s: A Sexually Prolific, And ‘Rapaciously’ Violent Experience ......................................................................................................................... 43 Media Regulation in Singapore in the 1990s-2000s ......................................................... 44 Presentation of Sexualised Hazing in Singapore: 1990s to 2000s .................................... 47 Chapter 4 The Divergence of Two Conservative Societies from the 1990s to 2000s ............ 52 Were news agencies to talk about the acts of sexualised hazing at all? ........................... 52 Were news agencies to discuss the sexualised hazing incidences happening within conscript institutions? ....................................................................................................... 55 Were news agencies to identify these hazing activities in the military as sexualised acts? ..........................................................................................................................................

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